Show Information Letter 4- December 2019

SHOW NEWSLETTER 2019/2020

NEWSLETTER NO.4……….and the LAST one!!!

Firstly, I would like to say your children are fun, delightful and inspirational to work with.

THIS NEWSLETTER IS RATHER LONG!! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ IT THROUGH.

We are extending “Good Luck” programme messages to Saturday 11th January 2020, sorry we cannot accept them after that as the programme is going to print on Monday 20th January. Forms are with us at the WERFA.

DRESSING ROOM MEETING

We will be having our usual meeting for all Dressing Room helpers on Tuesday 14th January at 8pm. It should only last an hour. We will let you know which area/dressing room you will be helping in. It will not be in the same area or room as your children.

ALL REHEARSALS MUST BE ATTENDED!!!!

RUN-THROUGH DAY & PHOTOS

SATURDAY 18th JANUARY – Run-Through is at The Magna Carta Arts Centre (Magna Carta School), Thorpe Road, Egham, TW18 3HJ. On the SAT NAV it turns you left into St Paul’s Road, but go past that road and turn left into the main entrance of the School and the car park is at round at the back of the school. Please arrive 10 minutes before the times stated; so that we can run on time, I do not wait for late arrivals. The children must arrive in their normal dance uniform (not costumes, but don’t forget you will need them with you for photos). Dance shoes can of course be put on at the school. Tap shoes for the Tiny Tots are not needed; we will stay in our ballet shoes as we are tight for time. I would like hair and make-up to be done as for the show on this day, so we can sort out any problems then, rather than at the dress rehearsal. The girls will also need hair & make-up for photos. I will have lots of seniors and “old Mums” around and are willing to help. Only hair needs to be done for Tiny Tots.

There is a large car park at the school, so you can either wait in your car or go home while your child is dancing- sorry, but there can be no watching at any rehearsal! DANCERS CAN WATCH WHILE WAITING. The timetable for the Run-Through Day is now on the website.

PARKING IS IN THE QUAD CAR PARK, ENTRANCE FROM THORPE ROAD AND THE ELECTRIC GATES WILL BE OPEN.

KEITH AND HIS TEAM WILL BE READY FOR PHOTOS FROM 9.20AM THROUGH TO 4PM –NO LATER – LAST PHOTOS 3.45PM. These wonderful photos of your children in their Show costumes will be taken and for sale on SATURDAY 18th JANUARY. There is an information letter on the website from Keith with prices. Keith Spillett has been associated with VSD since 1987. He takes wonderful photos of your children in their beautiful costumes and I think you will agree are extremely reasonably priced. Keith will have a team with him to help organize your photo session.

DRESS REHEARSAL

SUNDAY 19TH JANUARY- This is new to many helping people, please bear with us.

On the Dress Rehearsal and SHOW Day Dawn Lyddon and Kate Proops are in charge of backstage.Michelle Hunt is in charge Of Front of House. Adam Proops is in charge of Security, he also issues Backstage and Front of House passes.

Please drop your child off at 11am– we will begin at 12.00pm sharp! No packed lunch/tea needed, please ensure your child has a big breakfast!

Hair and make-up MUST already have been done at home. This information is further on in the newsletter. Dancers must have all named costumes and clean shoes with them- see Costumes Check Lists. Only parents who have offered their help backstage at either of the shows and have seen Michelle, Dawn, Kate, Harriet or myself are able to stay at the Dress Rehearsal. It is very important if you are helping backstage or in the dressing rooms that you attend this rehearsal- it helps the children get to know you, and you them. It also means that the show runs more smoothly if everybody involved has a rehearsal- not just the children. FOH (Front of House) helpers this may be a good time for organising Show Day.

Your child will be ready for collection at 2:15 – 2:30pm, starting with the TINY TOTS & PRE-PRIMARY’S. The rest of the School will be ready from 2:30, all Dancers need to be collected by 3pm. A register will be taken at each rehearsal and Show, marking each time a child enters or leaves the school, and another register during the show.

PLEASE NOTE- That helping Mummies are NOT able to bring siblings with them at the dress rehearsal and show performances.

OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DISCUSS FINAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE MAN WHO DOES THE THEATRE BOOKINGS (hence this letter going out a week later than I would like) IT MAY BE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PARK IN THE ST PAULS ROAD CAR PARK ON SATURDAY 18th & SUNDAY 19th JANUARY. I WILL CONFIRM PARKING ON THE WEBSITE ASAP

SATURDAY 25th JANUARY – SHOW DAY

PERFORMERS ARE NOT TO ARRIVE IN COSTUME

ALL CHILDREN ARE IN BOTH SHOWS! I would like the children to arrive at 1.30pm (1 hour before the Show is due to start). Please do not arrive any earlier as we will be getting things ready for them, and not any later as this may make them feel rushed. I do try very hard to keep things as relaxed as possible! Helpers for the 2.30pm performance, please arrive 1/2 an hour to an hour before the children (you may of course bring your dancing child with you at this time). Because of the small amount of time between the end of the first show and the beginning of the second, the children will stay at the school. After the first performance, the whole school will have their packed tea in the canteen, before going back to the dressing rooms to get ready for the next performance. Only parents helping backstage or in the dressing rooms will be able to come into the canteen at tea time or anywhere back stage. We have teams of parents to look after them and keep them amused. If both teams could be there at tea time that would be even better, and an ideal time to discuss queries that have cropped up. Last Show, it was felt that there was not enough tea-time help especially for the little ones, please do stay and help or arrive for the next performance to help early, about 4pm.

PARENTS please name all costumes, shoes, lunch boxes etc.

A dressing gown is also a very good idea. Many of the children arrive and leave in their dressing gowns and that is fine. Please do not put a very fitted top on your daughter as the helpers do not want to mess their beautiful hair up!

THERE IS NO FOOD ALLOWED TO BE EATEN IN THE DRESSING ROOMS/GYM. THIS IS A MAGNA ARTS CENTRE RULE.

Please send your child with a book to read or board game to play, colouring pencils etc. In 2016 a parent bought in a TV with a DVD player built in and so it was much better for the children to have a bigger screen to watch the films on, rather than a small lap top. I do not have the TV anymore do you have one we could borrow; it will only be operated by adults. Thank you very much on behalf of our dancing children.

PLEASE NOTE ON THE DRESS REHEARSAL THERE WILL NOT BE TIME FOR GAMES ETC, SO PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM IN WITH YOUR CHILD ON THIS DAY. There will also not be our cinema corner at the dress rehearsal.

PACKED TEA AND REFRESHMENTS

Please send your child with a packed tea, enough to keep them energized throughout the whole day.

They will need a packed tea and plenty of water. More water than less is a good idea. Sport top bottles are a great idea in case of spillages!!

Do not send your child withchocolate, Ribena or fizzy drinks- as these can ruin the costumes! PLEASE SEND YOUR CHILD WITH PLENTY OF WATER!

HAIR AND MAKE- UP TO BE DONE AT HOME- THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE:

Make- Up

Juniors- Tiny Tots and up to Grade 3 Ballet & Tap

Mascara needed from Grade 1 Ballet

Cover the face with foundation Use LIGHTER GOLD eye shadow OVER THE WHOLE EYELID

DARKER GOLD/ BROWN eye shadow on the OUTER PART OF THE EYELID INTO THE CREASE TO MAKE A SMOKY EYE – Meg will have her eyes made up during classes and you can have a chat to her

Deep blusher on the cheeks

RED lipstick

Seniors

Same as above but with false eyelashes

We have had a chat about this- so you know already, or see Miss Meg

I SUPPLY BOXES OF TISSUES AND MAKE-UP WIPES (THESE ARE ONLY USED IF MAKE-UP GETS SMUDGED) IN EACH DRESSING AREA. IF YOUR CHILD HAS ALLERGIES PLEASE SUPPLY YOUR OWN, WITH NAME ON & MAKE IT KNOWN TO DAWN or KATE.

Hair for Everyone

NO FRINGES OR LOOSE BITS!

Middle height classical bun PLEASE PUT A DONUT IN TO MAKE THE BUN, THEY MAKE A BEAUTIFUL UNIFORMED GROOMED BUN. YOU CAN GET THEM FROM PRIMARK, BOOTS, CLAIRES, THEY ARE CHEAPEST FROM PRIMARK. For younger children Primark & Claire’s Accessories sell them in the children’s section!

Gel hair back into a ponytail, making sure hair ties are the same colour as hair.

Back comb hair and place into a bun.

Hold in place with a bun net. Secure with hair pins and NOT Kirby grips. BUN NETS ARE NEEDED WITH A DONUT.

Spray hair gel is by far the easiest to use and very good.

In addition, lots of hairspray.

Bun nets and hair pins must all match hair colour- Harriet has these in stock, if not you can get them from most chemists. PLEASE CHECK WITH MEG OR AURORA HOW TO DO A PROPER CLASSICAL BUN, NOT A TRENDY DONUT BUN!

No jewellery or watches are to be worn at the Dress Rehearsal or Show- this includes EAR-RINGS AND NAIL VARNISH. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR DAUGHTER IN WITH JEWELLERY AS I CANNOT EXPECT OUR VERY BUSY HELPERS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

CLOTHES RAILS – WE DESPERATELY NEED THEM

Do you have a portable clothes rail we could borrow? Our dancers’ lovely costumes need to hang in the dressing areas. You would need to bring it on the dress rehearsal day take it home and the same again on Show day. If so, please let I, Harriet or Meg know. Please mark them with your name and sorry I can’t take them back and forth as we no longer have a very big car.

TICKETS

Tickets selling quite well, especially the 6.30pm performance, so please don’t expect to be able to arrive without one. You need to show a ticket at the door. I finance the initial outlay for the Show, which I am happy to do, BUT in order for me to cover this huge outlay (and sleep at night) I work on the assumption that every family will buy at least 4 tickets. Thank you very much to those families who have bought more than 4 so far, but we have several families buying just one or two in total and that really does worry me. Please tell your family and friends about our wonderful Shows. It is also lovely for the children to know they have someone special watching them at both performances.

We NEED to sell all our tickets to make our SHOW viable.

RAFFLE PRIZES

We are rather short on raffle prizes. Please keep these coming in. SATURDAY 18th JANUARY IS THE LATEST YOU CAN BRING THEM IN AS WE NEED TO BEAUTIFULLY PREPARE THEM READY FOR THE SHOWS! THANK YOU.

VIDEOS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

Please don’t forget that there is to be no use of video cameras or cameras in the auditorium during either performance. This includes iPads. The performance will be stopped if someone is seen using any devise to film or take photos.

Any member of the audience seen using a device will be asked to leave and this may affect the running of the performance. Thank you for your co-operation in this health and safety matter.

No photography or videoing is allowed to be taken backstage by parent helpers, especially on mobile phones. We are all so used to filming & taking pictures without thinking, but you do not know who has NOT given me consent for their children to have pictures taken, and the various reasons for this. VERY IMPORTANT, AND TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT PLEASE RESPECT THIS REQUEST. If you see someone taking photos or filming, please alert Dawn, Kate or Adam immediately. Thank you.

The 6.30 performance is being recorded and photos will have been taken on 18th JANUARY

PERFORMERS FRONT OF HOUSE

Any one who is performing in the show is not allowed front of house (auditorium) in costume, at any time or for any reason. Our performers are not able to come to the stage door during the show, interval or in between SHOWS to see family or friends, so please do not ask the person in charge of stage door security. Adam Proops is in charge of security and he takes keeping your children safe very seriously.

DVD

As mentioned above we are having the 6.30pm performance recorded. This makes a wonderful keepsake for all the family.

You should have all received a DVD order form by now if not please get one from Harriet, myself or Meg. Forms and payments need to be returned to us by THURSDAY 23rd JANUARY. CHEQUES ARE PAYABLE TO SURREY VIDEO SERVICES. Any Cheques made payable to me cannot be accepted. Please keep an eye on the website or our Facebook page for when DVDs will be ready for collection.

COSTUMES

Every child should have been given a costume check list for you to make sure they arrive with everything that is needed! If you do not have one please ask. I HAVE NOT PROVIDED COSTUMES ON NAMED HANGERS. EACH COSTUME MUST BE ON A HANGER THAT IS LABELLED WITH YOUR DAUGHTER’S NAME PLUS THEIR NAME IN THE COSTUME. DRESSING AREAS ARE FAR TOO BUSY TO BE SEARCHING FOR A COSTUME ON A HANGER NOT NAMED AND THE ACTUAL COSTUME NOT NAMED.

DRESSING ROOM HELP – URGENTLY NEEDED

We have only had 22 offers of help in the dressing rooms. This may sound a lot but we would like about 15 -20 per performance. It means that some of your children may only have 2 helpers/dressers and this quite simply is not enough for the children and makes it extremely hard on the helping Mums. In past years I have had to draft in friends, I can no longer do this.

AGAIN, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHICH SHOW YOU ARE HELPING IN. HARRIET & I WILL BE SPENDING THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS SORTING ALL THE LOGISTICS FOR THE SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE DAY, AND SPEND TIME WITH THE TEAM SORTING AREAS OUT. IN ADDITION, COLOUR CO-ORDINATED BADGES NEED TO BE WRITTEN IN ADVANCE FOR EACH PARENT HELPER, AS THERE IS NO ACCESS TO ANYONE BACKSTAGE WITHOUT A BADGE. ONLY YOUR COLOUR BADGE WILL ALLOW YOU ACCESS BACKSTAGE FOR THAT PERFORMANCE AND NOT THE OTHER ONE.

PARKING AND SMOKING AND ENTRANCE TO FRONT OF HOUSE

There is a very large car park at the Magna Carta for us to use on 19th, 20th & 25th January. The whole premises of the MAGNA CARTA is A NO SMOKING ZONE. If you or your guests would like to smoke you will need to do so outside the school grounds and the car park is in the school grounds. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

Audience, please walk round to the front of the School to gain access to front of house when you have parked and dropped your daughter off at the stage door. For anyone very elderly they will of course be able to be taken in through to front of house via the entrance the children go into the School. There is not an entrance being used for anyone from the St Paul’s car park.

We are a warm, friendly, and caring dance school. There are lots of Mummies around on Saturdays that have been with us for many years, please feel free to talk to them about any worries and questions about the show.

Many many thanks to all the wonderful parents who give up so much of their time to help make this a great time for your children.

Finally, the children, Miss Harriet, Miss Meg and I have worked extremely hard to make this a fantastic show for you. We do hope you and your family and friends will enjoy watching it as much as we have had fun working on it. Harriet and Meg, you have been constantly amazing, Olivia, Talitha, Imogen, Jada, Megan & Martha you have been wonderful, thank you.

If you have got this far – thank you very much for reading this long letter